Animal-trap.



' ITO/723,773; PATENTED MAR. 24, 1903.

V. 0. HARTER & W. H. BROWN.

ANIMAL TRAP.

APPLICATION FILE]? MAR. 24, 1902.

m: mums PIZYEflS no. momuma. WASHINGTON, n c,

' UNITED STATES P TENT OFFICE.

VIRGIL O. HARTER AND WEST H. BROWN, OF RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA;

SAID BROWN ASSIGNOR TO SAID IIARTER.

ANIMAL-TRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 723,773, dated March24, 1903. Application filed March 24, 1902. Serial No. 99,710. Nomodel.)

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, VIRGIL O. HARTERand WEST H. BROWN,citizens of theUnited States,

residing at Riverside, in the county of Riverside and State ofCalifornia, have invented a new and useful Animal-Trap, of which thefollowing is aspecitication.

This invention relates to animal-traps of the class wherein a projectileis caused to be discharged by the action of the animal; and it consistsin certain novel features of the construction, as hereinafter shown anddescribed, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings illustrative of the invention, Figure 1 is a perspectiveview of the trap complete with the trap set. Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsectional elevation with the trap sprung or after its action. Fig. 3 isa perspective detail of a modification of the tripping means.

The trap mechanism is supported upon a base 5, preferably of wood andlarge enough to insure stability and which may be secured to the groundcontiguous to the locality where the animal to be destroyed is in thehabit of visiting or passing. When employed for destroying gophers andother burrowing animals, the trap will be set near the entrances totheir holes or burrows.

Supported upon one end of the base 5 and preferably projecting beyondthe end, as shown, is the gun, formed of astationary breech-block 6 anddetachable barrel or tube 6, as shown in Fig. 2. The barrel h ispreferably adapted to receive and support a cartridge 7 of the formordinarily employed in shotguns, as shown. The spring 9 might beemployed as an impulse-spring to discharge any projectile other thanacart ridge, as shown at 7. The firing-pin is represented at 8 and isi'nclosed byacoiled spring 9, with one end of the spring secured in thebreech-block 6 through a central aperture (5 and the other end engagingthe firing-pin, as shown at 9. The inner or free end of the firing-pinis rounded to prevent 'it from catching on the coils of the spring whenmoving through it. By this means the spring servesthe twofold purpose ofa means for actuating the firingpin and a guide to insure its certainaction and insuring the proper action on the cap of the cartridge. Thisis an important feature of the invention and obviates the necessity forany support for the firing-pin other than the spring.

Mounted upon the rear of the base 5 is a trigger-releasing mechanismconsisting of a finger or pawl 10, pivot-ally supported by a standard 10and having a long arm 1O extending forward over the gun portion of thedevice and engaging a trigger-loop 11, arching over the barrel 6 andflexibly connected by its lower ends or legs at 11 to a wire frame 12,connected to the base 5. The loop 11 is extended horizontally at itslower part and provided with a plate 13, which projects heneath themuzzle of the barrel 7, as shown. The rear end of the firing-pin 8 isformed with an eye 8, adapted to engage the finger 10, as shown in-Fig.1. A cord 8 is attached to the firing-pin 8 and carried rear.-wardly over the end of the base to afford means for drawing thefiring-pin backward and engaging it with the depending trip tinger orpin 10. A stud 5 will be inserted in the rear end of the base 5, aroundwhich the cord may be woundto assist in holding the fi ring-pin whilebeing engaged by the finger 10. The outerend ofthe arm 10? engages theund-er side of the loop 11, as'shown in Fig. 1, so

that when the parts are adjusted as shown in Fig. 1 the finger 10 willretain the firingpin in its backward position, with the spring distendedand ready for action. Then any downward movement of the plate 13 willwithdraw the loop 11 from engagement with the arm 10 and release/thespring and permit it to cause the firing-pin to discharge'thecartridge7. Thus any animal which engages the plate 13, and thereby comes intothe firing-line of the cartridge, will be destroyed. When employed fordestroying gophers or other burrowing animals, the trap will be set withthe plate 13 over-the entrance to the burrow, so that any attempt of theanimal to enter his burrow or to throw earth therein will result inspringing the trap. To .guard against the animal crowding earth beneaththe plate 13, and thus preventing it from being depressed, asupplemental plate 14 is arranged beneath the plate 13 with its outertube mounted upon said base, and adapted end turned upward, as at 14,the plate 14:] being rigidly connected to the base 5, as by bars 15. henemployed for destroying squirrels and similaranimals, suitable bait suchas nuts, corn, or the like-will be placed upon the plate 13, so that anyattempt at its removal will cause the animal to depress the plate andspring the trap.

Instead of attaching the'plate 13 to the base 5, as shown in Figs. 1 and2, it may be provided with depending rods 16, as shown in Fig. 3,adapted to he forced into the ground to, support the plate; but thiswould be a mere modification, which would not affect the operation or headeparture from the scope or spirit of the invention.

The proportions and relative arrangement of the parts may be modifiedand changed in minor details without departing from the scope and spiritof the invention, and we do not, therefore, desire to be limited to theprecise proportions of the construction shown.

The trap maybe made of any size to adapt it to the destruction ofdifferent species of animals.

What is claimed is 1. In an animaLtrap, a supporting-base, a

to contain a firing charge, a coiled spring engaging an aperture in therear end of said tube by one end, a firing-pin inclosed by said springand connected by its outer end to the outer end of said spring, atrigger means disposed to support said spring distended, and a trippingmechanism adapted to release said firing-pin, substantially asdescribed.

2. In an animal-trap, a supporting-base, a breech-block secured uponsaid base and having an aperture in the rear thereof, a tube removablyconnected to said breech-block, and adapted to support a cartridge, acoiled spring secured by one end in said aperture, a firingpin withinsaid coiled spring and connected by its outer end to the outer end ofsaid spring, a trigger means disposed to support said springdistended,and a tripping means adapted to release said trigger means,substantially as described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have heretoaffixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

VIRGIL O. I-IARTER. WEST II. BROWN. Witnesses:

J. RAMSBOTTOM, CHAs. E. W ILBUR.

